DEAR Editor;
Presently a large number of South Coasters are living without running water.
The reason for this entire debacle is very clear – the Ugu District Municipality has failed the South Coast, as well as its basic mandate: to supply water.
The reality is that Ugu has failed for years, and primarily in the lead up to the festive season. Every year, water supply is compromised between November and December. This has been on going for a number of years.
The same people that were running the show then are still in charge now (apart from the recent suspension of DD Naidoo).
At present the entire situation is a complete disaster.
As residents and businesses, prepare themselves for the December period, with Covid-19 looming large in the background, a few pointed questions need to be asked.
1. The anecdotal evidence is quite clear that during the level 5 lockdown, the number of water issues diminished significantly.
Most areas had a consistent supply apart from the very occasional break. Pumps, reservoirs, etc were running well.
It must be noted that usage would have peaked due to everyone being home. The moment the lockdown level reduced, the number of breaks and the uncertainty of water supply recurred. This is not coincidental.
2. November and December are notorious on the South Coast – in fact every seasonal holiday period is compromised.
The excuses range from a lack of supply, Eskom failures, boards blocking outlets, sabotage, etc.
The reality is this: Ugu employees compromise the feed – they are the only people with the tools, know-how and accessibility to the infrastructure in order to affect the water supply.
3. Ugu as a public entity, needs to provide a full breakdown on how much employees of the municipality are paid.
Names are not necessary – just the job description and their TOTAL monthly earnings for the past two years. Every employee including management must provide this information.
4. Why are breaks that have been reported in the morning ignored for the entire day and only attended to after hours?
Or if a break is reported on a Thursday, repairs are only effected on the weekend? What is Ugu’s policy on overtime?
5. Who owns and supplies water tankers to the municipality? Does Ugu have functional water tankers?
6. Why are breaks sometimes left for days or even weeks, without intervention?
7. Are the fees charged by Ugu on a monthly bill regular in comparison to the rest of South Africa?
8. Why is the billing at Ugu such a shambles?
9. Does Ugu have a call centre? If so, how many people are employed as operators? What are their operating hours? Is there any performance monitoring for their response times and efficiency?
10. Why has Ugu not been placed under administration?
11. Where is the Premier of KZN and all the MECs at this point in time?
The stock answer will be that Cogta is in attendance, but the reality is that we still have no water. The next two questions are the most important ones: and they deserve a lot of thought.
12. Why is the supply of water to the South Coast run by a mayorality and a municipality for water?
Why is there not a water board in place?
What does a mayor, a municipal manager and an entire municipality have in terms of knowledge and know how on how to run an entire water infrastructure network? Are they all qualified engineers, or qualified water experts?
13. Where is Ray Nkonyeni Municipality in all of this debacle?
The only way forward for residents is to shame the municipalities into rendering their mandated services.
And the only way to “shame our way to success” is by relentlessly bombarding local and national media outlets and social media with our issues.
This will in turn create greater awareness of our plight and force the hand of politicians who are going to be seeking re-election very soon.
ANOTHER FRUSTRATED SOUTH COAST RESIDENT
(Letter shortened)
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